Ok so last night Mikey and I fitted the new spacers and wheel studs, which thankfully turned up yesterday, instead of today as originally expected. I took the car out for a drive this morning, dropped my son off at his grandmas, my daughter off at school and went to Wickes to pick up a new toilet seat.

 

The car now has a considerable amount of feedback in the steering at 30mph+ now, which was probably always there (The car always had a small vibration when driving, previously put down to the calliper problem and the wheel balancing etc. etc. all of which were sorted out, then we found the spacer/wheel stud/wheel nut problem), but just wasn't as obvious before. Essentially, now you hit 30mph and the steering wheel starts to really feed back, not eratic either, very smooth from side to side, but as you go quicker it changes to a vibration, as the movements get quicker with the car.

 

There is also now something else that wasn't there before, which is like a knocking/scrubbing, which happens in time with the wheels going round, but goes away after 100 meters or so of driving, then comes back when you brake, along with new vibration under braking as well, plus you can feel the brake pedal move as the scuffing noise happens.

 

I'm so sick of this car, 4 days to JAE several problems fixed in the last week or so (Belts, fan clutch, spacers, etc.) and now it decides it's not roadworthy!

 

Any ideas on WTF is now wrong with the lemon?

 

Could it be as simple as a seriously warped disc? Right now that car isn't going to JAE, which is ****ing disasterous, so I'm frantically trying to think of what could be wrong and is it fixable in 4 days!

Take the spacers back off. I hate those friggin things. I had wheels come of due to spacers:(

Yeah I don't like em either, but I can't afford a new set of alloys right now, plus the wheels are really nice, so we removed the cheapo crapo spacers and we've replaced them with proper machined hubcententric ones with longer studs. Essentially without them the wheels are useless which means the car is on axle stands, which aint gunna happen.

Can you not jack the corner up which is making the noise and spin the wheel to see if its the disc? If the steering felt fine before, then try taking the spacers off and see if that fixes the problem. Spacers change the geometry of the suspension, but I'd be surprised if the effects on modest spacers were that noticeable. Could be..

 

edit - right, you can't take the spacers off..

Sounds like one of the discs had not seated correctly on the hub, strip down clean and refit.

 

Jeff TT

Well spotted Leo and Kudos for keeping your original post in there :D Obviously the car already had spacers for the wheels and we've just replaced 2 spacers which were stacked up together to make 15mm with some proper hubcentric ones, if it were just to make the wheels line up in the arches I'd take them off :(

 

JeffTT - I suppose that is possible, but with the fact we were fitting spacers, we made absolutely sure that everything was seated properly and clean before they went on. We also didn't need to remove the disc from the hub to fit the studs in the first place, and there isn't much movement on them with the calliper still on.

 

Mikey did point out that we are missing the little plastic spacers to go from the spacer/disc to the wheel, which is supposed to centre the wheel properly, so I'm ordering some of them from wheels UK that SlickPete linked me to the other day to actually obtain the spacers in the first place. That may be the problem who knows. I'm also going to fit my spare, standard sized, grooved discs to the car to make absolutely sure that the discs are ok. The grooved ones came off my car when I bought drilled and grooved ones a few months ago, so I know there's no wobble or feedback in those discs.

before fitting the plastic centre locators check that both surfaces are perfectly flat and that there are no imperfections on contact surfaces,,,( hub/spacers/wheels)if this is ok and you still have a problem try another pair of spacers,,

Well spotted Leo and Kudos for keeping your original post in there :D Obviously the car already had spacers for the wheels and we've just replaced 2 spacers which were stacked up together to make 15mm with some proper hubcentric ones, if it were just to make the wheels line up in the arches I'd take them off :(

 

JeffTT - I suppose that is possible, but with the fact we were fitting spacers, we made absolutely sure that everything was seated properly and clean before they went on. We also didn't need to remove the disc from the hub to fit the studs in the first place, and there isn't much movement on them with the calliper still on.

 

Mikey did point out that we are missing the little plastic spacers to go from the spacer/disc to the wheel, which is supposed to centre the wheel properly, so I'm ordering some of them from wheels UK that SlickPete linked me to the other day to actually obtain the spacers in the first place. That may be the problem who knows. I'm also going to fit my spare, standard sized, grooved discs to the car to make absolutely sure that the discs are ok. The grooved ones came off my car when I bought drilled and grooved ones a few months ago, so I know there's no wobble or feedback in those discs.

 

Hi mate if its the spigot rings inside the wheel are missing or not the right size for new hubcentric spacer,

you will definatley get vibration, And on the motorway may even go and come back as the wheel moves around on the hub,

 

looks like you have more then one zed is it worth borrowing wheels of another zed, and trying car without spacers then atleast you will know its wheel or spacer related.

 

Have an astra van and fitted clio wheels which bolted straight on but the centre bore on clio wheel is bigger then vauxhall so needed spigot rings,

tried it without spiggot rings and the steering wheel was pulling left/right constantly then could go round a corner and would almost stop then next corner would start again ,

 

Standard wheels back on and van drives perfect.

Yeah I think it's the spiggot rings, didn't know that was the name for them. Just need to figure out what size to order now.

Yeah I think it's the spiggot rings, didn't know that was the name for them. Just need to figure out what size to order now.

 

You need to measure the inner bore the (hub) and outter the (wheel)

never used hubcentric spacers but by the sounds of them they will give you a new hub as such,

 

So differant to standard zed size hub,

 

Hope you sort it mate,

 

Maybe the place where you bought spacers will know their size,

And a good alooy wheel shop should know the size of the wheel,

 

We have a place called elite tyres in dagenham, maybe if you have somewhere like that where you live they should be able to help you.

 

Goodluck mate.

you need to measure the 2 points in the pic to work out the correct size spigot rings.

 

dan.:cool3:

Cheers guys, had a look again this afternoon and the wheels are definitely off centre. I wonder why we didn't have this problem before? Only thing I can think of is with the old nuts maybe they did a better job of pulling the wheel into the center. Will get these measured if I can find a tape measure and get some new ones ordered. Fingers crossed this sorts the problem and the car becomes drivable again.

Cheers guys, had a look again this afternoon and the wheels are definitely off centre. I wonder why we didn't have this problem before? Only thing I can think of is with the old nuts maybe they did a better job of pulling the wheel into the center. Will get these measured if I can find a tape measure and get some new ones ordered. Fingers crossed this sorts the problem and the car becomes drivable again.

 

On them new spacers did they come with their own spigot part what goes into the wheel where the plastic spigot ring goes round or does it still use the original 300zx one,

 

Maybe when the wheels were last on the wheels were more in the centre,

Tried putting them on before without spigot rings you end up having to lift the wheel why tightening the bolts, cause weight of the wheel makes it drop.

 

but they never seem right unless you have spigot rings, most decent wheel shops will not refit wheels unless it as the spigot ring,

This post is history

Edited September 25, 201114 yr by Mrs HollowPoint

Goddamn piece of sh*t car that wanted for nothing :lol:

I STILL havnt been able to drive it for over a week.

 

It WAS on it's way to gleaming, now been sat in the rain for 2 days.

 

I WAS going to at least get rear speakers in it but no chance now.

 

I WAS going to re-hook up my underlighting.....

 

I'll just be lucky it gets to JAE, as is

 

If the wheels dont fall off on the way, or I dont get out of the car and feel like killing someone when Ive had a journey of being shaken to death by vibration..... hint, handing a beer over before I get out of the car may be required.

 

Spigot rings?... NOPE, not a chance

 

Just spent several hours in the garage spitting blood at the damn thing. Finally got the studs in on one of the wheels by having to tighten the nuts to pull them through. Now one of the threads is STUFFED and Alex is on the phone trying to source a tap and die set... TODAY!!

 

Not being funny but isnt it about time you moved on from this "Car wants for nothing" saying???

 

You test drove the car and accepted it for the condition that it showed!

 

As for your wheel problems, have you made sure that the spacers fit properly onto the hub spigots? Its all very well saying that there needs to be spigot rings between the wheels and the spacers but there needs to be a good fit between the hub spigot and the spacer aswell.

This post is history

Edited September 25, 201114 yr by Mrs HollowPoint

Just driven it to ASDA and back, wobble when driving has gone, is now very smooth, still has vibration on braking, but we've also since discovered there is play in the steering rack, so I think that's what's causing the vibration on braking, if you hold the steering wheel tight, it brakes very smoothly, so I'm sure it's not a disc.

 

There is a rattle that can be heard around 2.5K revs which I think is a heat shield somewhere, the clutch biting point needs adjusting (That is most definitely something from us when we did the manual conversion), the spigot rings are still needed, but with the proper studs in there the wheel is centered and isn't going anywhere, will obtain spigot rings after JAE. Desperately needs a cam belt, as although it's barely done 10,000 miles since it's last change, it's been 7 years, so fingers crossed it doesn't snap on the way to or from JAE.

 

Mikey, you clearly haven't read all the posts about this car for you to say what you said. Yes we bought it knowing it had a couple of faults, which Sandy did tell us about, however, we wouldn't have bothered driving to Scotland and back in a day, in 2 Z's and spent hours mucking about in a scrap yard removing a manual gearbox and clutch etc. if it weren't for the "apparent condition" of the car, we'd have bought one far more local and far cheaper! That phrase isn't a dig at anyone, the previous owner genuinely believed he'd paid good money for good work, turns out the work wasn't that great. If you choose to think we're having a go at him, that's your problem, not ours.

I have the rack off my old Z if you need one mate... you are welcome to it but its still fitted on the complete front subframe.

That's really appreciated Baz, if I come and take it off the subframe next week some time, would that be ok?

if you hold the steering wheel tight, it brakes very smoothly, so I'm sure it's not a disc.

 

If thats happening I cant see the cause of the vibration being the steering rack. Could be a suspension bush or brake disc

That's really appreciated Baz, if I come and take it off the subframe next week some time, would that be ok?

 

yeah no probs, i'll get it taken off beforehand if i get time! i didnt mean you HAD to do it, just that it wasnt quite ready for collection yet lol :online2long:

Yeah no worries mate, I interpreted it as "It's stuck on a subframe at the moment and I don't know if I'll get time to remove it before you need it" :D

Just had a read through and glad to hear you managed to get it sorted hollowpoint!

Just wondering what you did to remedy the matter??

 

It looks like i'm experiencing exactly the same issues! - unfortunatley my wheels dont fit straight onto the hub without spacers because they rub on the caliper, so I purchased a new set of spacers. Wheels balanced & fitted a new disc and thought happy days... after half an hour of driving i'm getting some serious vibration when braking and an intermittent vibration when driving!

 

These are the spacers i got: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170695613711?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

If there's anyone in the thames valley area free over the next 4days- could really do with someone having a look too - tea/biscuits/beer/cake will be provided!! Going up for a drift day at Oulton Park in 9 days time and need the beast ready for this :-s

Edited October 19, 201114 yr by rcoubrough
extra detail

Just had a read through and glad to hear you managed to get it sorted hollowpoint!

Just wondering what you did to remedy the matter??

 

It looks like i'm experiencing eactly the same issues! - my wheels dont fit straight onto the hub without spacers as the rub on the caliper, so purchased a new set of spacers. fitted a new disc and thought happy days... after half an hour of driving i'm getting some serious vibration when braking and an intermittent vibration when driving!

 

These are the spacers i got: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170695613711?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

2 X 20MM HUBENTRIC WHEEL SPACERS 5X114 WITH A 72.6 CENTRE BORE

 

Those spacers have the wrong Bore size..

You want 66.1 IIRC.

You want 66.1 IIRC.

 

Yep :)